I love Sunday morning worship.There is just something about coming together with the people of God, singing praise, hearing the Gospel proclaimed, and being reminded that we are adopted sons and daughters of the living God that puts a smile on my face. While I love what that moment is each and every week, there is a concern that always lives within me on Sundays.The concern is that when the Spirit moves and the feeling of God’s presence is palpable that experience becomes the end goal for which people long.

While a good feeling on Sunday morning is a positive thing, it cannot be the end of worship. Rather that good emotion should launch us towards continuous transformation into Jesus’ image (2 Corinthians 3:18). As those moments transform us they should then transform our actions and cause us to create new doorways to make & grow disciples of Jesus Christ.

Now I don’t know if you noticed it or not but I dropped the word “should” two times in the previous two sentences. Often people use that word “should” to identify lack, where life isn’t being lived as it is supposed to be lived.On this occasion however I use this word should as a mechanism for celebration of what our worship has been and the direction in which it is leading us.

In the recent past during worship services our congregation has heard much about the changes we desire at Fusion. As a result of God moving in hearts and minds, people have responded beyond good feelings.Individuals have since offered financial, time, and spiritual resources to transform Fusion so that we may use it to transform Bay County.

Because of the way past worshipful moments have led to present transformative actions, I’m thrilled to report we’re in the middle of many positive changes at Fusion. We’re seeing the long needed HVAC upgrade realized, have a new and improved nursery facility, will soon have inflatables to use weekly for children’s ministry and weekday recreation events, and have a number of new activities going on, not the least of which are children’s flag football leagues and adult soccer leagues.

While it is a gift to see each of those tangible things transforming in front of me, what is more significant is that I’m already getting to share time with members of our community who, until now, haven’t been a part of Fusion. I’ve been able to share with numerous parents that when they bring their kids they’ll be in a place that is safe and fun, but more significantly is a Christian community where they are welcome.Likewise, I’ve been able to gather at midfield before flag football games and pray over children that they may know and grow in the knowledge of Christ.

As exciting as all of this is, it is not the end, but rather just the beginning of a new cycle of worship. You see when we take moments like this to give thanks for all that God is doing through his people at LHUMC it specially prepares us for even more amazing worship that will lead to new change in us as individuals and as the body of Christ. For those reasons, I thank you for what we’ve been able to do, hope to see you at Fusion through the week and at worship on Sunday, and even more than that look forward to the future God has for us. All of this tells me that the best is yet to come.